The present invention relates generally to a unique and useful structure for removably inserting electronic components, such as fuses, and the like, into electronic equipment. The invention relates more specifically to a unique telephone protector capable of enclosing electronic equipment useful in telecommunications applications having a uniquely constructed externally accessible removable fuse holder.
Many modern pieces of electric and electronic equipment, such as computers, telephones, and facsimile machines, have very specific power requirements, and are highly sensitive to power surges--that is a transient power pulse having a power level that exceeds the power level normally present in a certain line or connection. Given the high cost of this equipment and its repair, many equipment owners desire a way to protect their equipment from such power surges.
One popular way of protecting such equipment is to put a fuse, or a plurality of fuses, into the feeding power or telecommunications line so that the power surge encounters a fuse before it reaches the expensive equipment. If a power surge encounters a fuse, the fuse will "blow," thereby rupturing its power level sensitive element and breaking the connection between the feeder line and the equipment and protecting the equipment from the harmful surge. However, the fuses are capable of performing their function only once because the power sensitive element is not itself replaceable. After the fuse blows, it must be replaced by a new fuse. Replacement of the fuses causes many people a great deal of difficulty and frustration.
The size of the power sensitive element, and thus the size of the fuse, often depends on the power rating thereof, and is thus related to the strict power requirements of the equipment. If the fuse is intended to blow at a relatively low power level, the fuse will be quite small in size and difficult to handle. This is the case with an ever-increasing number of highly sensitive electronic equipment.
Because the fuses are so small, they are difficult to insert properly into the equipment. Further, the greater the number of these small fuses, the greater the difficulty in and the higher the level of frustration encountered while inserting the fuses properly into the equipment. Thus, it is desirable to construct a new device or structure which can reduce the difficulty inherent in inserting fuses into electronic equipment, and can substantially reduce, if not eliminate, the frustration which often accompanies the task of inserting fuses into such equipment.